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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. squash — to crush
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. wake — a trail
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. content — happy
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. stock — goods
  10. cue — a signal
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. squash — the sport
  15. craft — a skill
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. stock — shares
  18. cue — a hint
  19. cue — for pool
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. craft — boats
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. pound — a weight
  24. lie — to recline

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com